1986 changed pop music forever.
It was the year the unmistakable PWL sound truly exploded onto the international stage, transforming Stock Aitken Waterman into the most successful songwriting and production team of the decade and launching an extraordinary run of chart-topping hits that would shape popular music for years to come.
Forty years later, NEWDAWN.FM is celebrating that pivotal moment with the launch of The Hit Factory, a brand new one-hour weekly programme dedicated to the music, artists and productions that defined an era.
Broadcast every Friday at 6:00pm UK throughout 2026, the series marks the 40th anniversary of PWL’s breakthrough year, revisiting the records that became the soundtrack to millions of lives while exploring the stories behind one of Britain’s greatest musical success stories.
Every Friday, _The Hit Factory_ will revisit the extraordinary PWL catalogue through a carefully curated hour of music, featuring worldwide hits, overlooked gems, extended mixes, album favourites and fascinating stories from behind the studio doors.
From Kylie Minogue and Rick Astley to Bananarama, Dead or Alive, Mel & Kim, Jason Donovan, Sinitta, Hazell Dean, Princess, Sonia and many more, the programme celebrates the productions that defined a generation and continue to influence pop music today.
